


A Safe Place

by Jerevinan



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cars, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Humor, IgNoct, M/M, Mischief, Regis is a troll dad, Teenagers, baby!ignocts, childhood antics, regalia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 14:00:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12960858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jerevinan/pseuds/Jerevinan
Summary: Ignis has always spent a lot of his time in cars, especially the Regalia. It's a safe place for Noctis, but it's also one for Ignis, too.A series of car-related incidents for Ignis Fluff week.





	1. Cor's Carrots

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in an AU! 
> 
> Chapter one is just a general baby ignoct story, but chapter two is specifically the prompt "Ignis and his father figure" - and chapter three will be announced tomorrow, it's also related to Ignis Fluff week. :)
> 
> On chapter one: In a couple of my other stories, I’ve mentioned hints of this incident. I decided to write it for Ignis Fluff week, since I figured it would be super adorable. The museum in this story is heavily inspired by the Sternberg in Hays, Kansas. I love that place.

Little boys only turned seven once, and for Ignis—who had been given the freedom to choose which destination to visit for his birthday—it would be the delight of the year. He got up early that morning. Woke Noctis. Together, they ate breakfast and brushed their teeth. Once they were dressed in their favorite outfits, they rushed to meet Ignis’ uncle in the Citadel lobby.

“Ignis, I’m afraid I cannot take you boys to the museum today,” said Ignis’ uncle, kneeling down to his nephew’s eye level. “I’m sorry. It’s urgent business, and King Regis needs me.”

Ignis tried not to show any disappointment. A big boy needed to understand that Regis needed his uncle, and wasn’t he more mature having just turned seven? 

He couldn’t answer verbally for fear the hot tears in his eyes would spill, and so Ignis nodded to show that he understood. 

“That’s not fair!” said Noctis. “It’s Iggy’s birthday!”

Ignis’ eyes widened. Noctis seldom complained when his father couldn’t spend time with him, always sulking when he thought no one would see. He hadn’t thrown a tantrum about it for months, not after the first few weeks since he was introduced to Ignis. He chose instead to spend his time playing with Ignis. Everyone said that the boys made good companions because Noctis no longer fussed when Regis couldn’t even attend lunch.

“It’s okay, Noct. I’m fine.”

“No way! Can’t someone else take us? You can’t do this to Iggy on his birthday! We have to do somethin’!” Noctis peered around at the other adults standing in the lobby, a silent plea with one of them to come forward and offer a solution. The employees in the room minded their own business, hurriedly attending to their duties with more vigor than before.

“I can take them,” said Cor. 

Ignis’ eyes widened.

“Really?” Noctis bounced over and tugged on Cor’s jacket.

“I was going anyway.” Cor often attended the boys’ outings to serve as Noctis’ bodyguard. There were other Crownsguard members who were assigned to protect the prince, but Cor seemed to have taken a fondness to both of them over the few months Ignis had known Noctis.

Both boys rewarded Cor by throwing their arms around his waist. They even attempted to contain their excitement during the ride in the Regalia—an impossibility, and they didn’t succeed, either. Noctis inevitably shouted at every cat or dog he spotted during the drive, and Ignis couldn’t help but thank the marshal every few minutes for sparing his birthday plans.

They spent the day staring up at fossils of fearsome monsters of past Eos, mashing clay into leaf-shaped molds, and touching the different pelts of animals. Noctis gleefully pressed his nose against the glass of a display of jellyfish, forever preserved in a wall of rock. 

Noctis gasped when he saw a fossil of a fish swallowing another fish.

“It’s huge!” cried Noctis. “Someday, I’ll catch one of these.”

“They’re extinct,” said Cor.

Noctis scrunched his nose up at Cor. “I’m gonna catch one.”

“Have fun trying.”

It took them all morning to see everything in the museum that interested the two boys, and it was nearly lunch time when Cor herded them back to the car to take them home. 

“I’m hungry!” Noctis leaned against Cor’s leg, the marshal’s jacket bunched in his fists. “Nuggets?”

“We’ll eat when we get back to the Citadel, Noctis.” Cor dug his keys out of his pocket. “Oh, would you like a snack?”

“Yes, please!” said Ignis.

“Yes!”

Cor summoned a small plastic bag out of the armiger and tossed it to Ignis. “Here you go. I always carry these around in case I need something to eat.”

Before either boy could see what he had given them, Cor motioned for them to get into the back of the Regalia.

“Carrots?” Noctis finished snapping in his seat belt and leaned over to see what was in Ignis’ hand.

It was a one-serving sized bag of baby carrots, already washed according to the packaging.

Ignis liked museums. He liked Noctis. One thing he did not like—but would later develop some tolerance for—was uncooked carrots.

Noctis shared his disgust of the vegetable, though his dislike extended to cooked varieties. No amount of butter and seasonings could save the vegetable from being quickly pushed to the side of his plate or hidden in a napkin.

Noctis opened his mouth to complain, but Ignis put a finger to his lips to hush him. Ignis didn’t want the marshal, who had taken the time to salvage his birthday plans, to think they didn’t appreciate all he had done for them.

And so Ignis carefully opened the bag instead, and in silent gestures, showed Noctis where to stuff each and every one of them.

The Regalia had many compartments. Ignis flipped an ashtray open on his door while Noctis did the same on his side, and together they emptied the bag. They still had a few others left even when they filled those trays, and Ignis began pressing them into other nooks and crannies within the door. 

“Oh, you finished the bag,” said Cor when they arrived at the Citadel. “How many did you eat, Noctis?”

“Um. Two?”

Cor raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure Ignis didn’t eat the whole bag?”

“I tried to eat two of them,” Noctis insisted. 

“Uh-huh.” 

Noctis exchanged a look with Ignis. They needed a change of subject, and quickly.

“That museum was the best! Thank you for taking us!”

“Sure thing.” Cor ruffled his hair and smiled at him. “Happy birthday.”

~*~

“Cor, why are there dried carrots in my car?”

Cor could have ratted out the children and seen them scolded for not only lying to him, but for wasting his snack food. But it had been Ignis’ birthday, and everyone knew Noctis wouldn’t eat vegetables even when bribed.

“Sorry, had an accident with them when I was taking them out of the armiger.”

“What kind of accident manages to end with carrots so well-hidden?”

“Beats me.”


	2. Royal Driving Instructor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For "Ignis and his father figure" - only I've made Regis that father figure. :)
> 
> Teen IgNoct, they’re not even dating yet. They’re 15 and 14.

Driving was almost every teenager’s dream. Ignis waited for the day he would turn fifteen so he could learn. It not only marked another step toward adulthood, but it represented another skill he would inevitably use when he stepped up to the job as Noctis’ chamberlain.

The first few months after obtaining his permit, Cor took Ignis out to practice around the Citadel. It went well, and the marshal was a patient instructor. They eased the car further distances, passing by shopping districts and residential areas. Cor taught him how to parallel park—a necessity in the Crown City—and how to change tires.

It all went well until the morning Regis arrived for Ignis’ practice instead of Cor. And not only did the king sit in the driver’s seat, Noctis hopped in the back.

Ignis felt less anxiety the first time behind the wheel than he did at that moment.

“Your Majesty?” Ignis clenched the steering wheel at ten and two and prayed this was another one of the king’s jokes. Cor would show up at any moment, taking the steps from the Citadel two at a time. He would monologue about how Regis couldn’t be left on his own for a minute.

Ignis peered out the window on the other side of Regis, up the steps. No Cor.

“I thought I would take over your driving lesson for today.” Regis strapped on his seatbelt. “You are going to be driving my son around as soon as you have your license, correct? I should see if you’ve learned anything from Cor.” 

Noctis poked his head between the seats. His hair was a mess of experimentation with “cooler” hairstyles, but Gladiolus had some leverage when he said it looked like Noctis combed his hair with a spork while he blow-dried it.

“Where are we going, Specs?”

“Noctis,” said Regis in a firm voice. “Sit down and put your seatbelt on.”

“I know.” Noctis flopped into his seat and yawned. “I want burgers and fries.”

“And I want my children to all be little again, but we can’t always have the things we want. This is a driving lesson, not an adventure.” Regis leaned back in his seat. “Cor says you’re doing great, Ignis. Though I’ve been told you have a tendency to speed.”

“Um, your Majesty…”

“Is something on my face? In my teeth?” Regis flipped down the sunblind to access the mirror behind it. He turned his head from side to side.

“No, it’s…”

“Oh, you’re nervous?”

Ignis nodded. 

“Well, don’t be! I’m only here to evaluate your progress. Cor isn’t a descriptive man. All he could tell me was that you were ‘doing well’—that wasn’t good enough for me, since I know you’ll be driving my son all around in a year’s time.” Regis side-eyed the boy in the backseat. “He’ll be asking you to take him for fries in the middle of the night.”

“That sounds convenient.” Noctis lifted his hand and began to tinker with the air conditioner settings. “Hey, Dad, you sure we can’t get fries now? I want some from Insomnia Burger.”

“I thought I told you? This is a driving lesson, not a snack run.”

It didn’t _feel_ like a lesson to Ignis. 

“I don’t mind if we go to Insomnia Burger,” said Ignis.

Regis threw his hands into the air and groaned melodramatically. “Teenagers! Fine, we’ll get fries.”

Ignis hadn’t chosen to go along with Noctis’ fast food run because he wanted fries or even to appease his best friend. He simply wanted to have some direction on what they were doing, where they were going—something to focus on while he tried not to think about how much scrutiny he was under with a king in the passenger’s seat. He took one longing, desperate glance up the stairs, but Cor didn’t appear.

The nearest Insomnia Burger franchise was only a few blocks away. Perhaps once Noctis has his fries, Regis would grow bored with this excursion and insist Ignis take them back. 

“You can go speed limit,” said Regis gently. “I’m not precious cargo.”

“You’re the _king_.” That should have been enough to settle the argument, but Regis let out a soft laugh and waved away the concern with a swipe of his hand.

“Cor says you’re quite confident behind the wheel, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Ignis swallowed. The marshal had been the one to guide him through traffic laws and assess his improvements. The two had a way of nonverbal communication during the majority of their lessons. Cor would then mark down his evaluations on a slip of paper before signing off. Ignis needed two hundred hours of practice with an instructor, guardian, or some other capable adult, and Cor made sure to log everything down to the minute. He never left out a detail, including whether or not he thought Ignis had slowed down soon enough for a stop sign and if he hadn’t glanced long enough at his blind spot before switching lanes.

Ignis was comfortable with that arrangement. 

“Your Majesty…”

Regis sighed. “I understand. I’m the king, not Noct or Cor. Can you pretend I’m not here?”

Absurd. Absolutely absurd. How could Ignis forget? Wasn’t it his job to be aware of everyone’s locations and statuses? Even if they were living in peaceful times, there were enemies of the royal family among the Lucian citizens—people who disagreed with Regis on everything from legislation passed by the council to how ugly they thought the Citadel looked in their skyline. Ignis had to be on his guard at all times with the king in tow. Why wouldn’t Clarus or Cor be with Regis, at the very least? 

“Ignis?”

Ignis took a deep breath. Someday, his prince would be king. He had to get used to driving a king around someday, and Regis could look out for himself.

He eased the car around the turn-about and toward the Citadel gates instead of answering Regis. The king leaned into his seat, and Ignis caught him smiling pleasantly as he glanced around at oncoming traffic. It would be all right. Ignis wouldn’t crash the practice car. He wouldn’t kill the king, or worse, the remaining two members of the Lucis line.

Ignis hoped Cor was having a worse day than him.

~*~

It took every bit of Ignis’ discipline not to collapse on the cement outside the practice car out of relief that he had driven the king around and hadn’t gotten him killed. He stepped out and handed the keys to a waiting Cor, who smirked in response to Ignis’ glower. 

“It went all right?” asked Cor, and he sounded too chipper for someone who had abandoned his student.

“Where were you?” asked Ignis.

“I had Crownsguard matters to attend to. Seems you all came back in one piece.”

“Fortunately,” muttered Ignis.

“I had a splendid time,” said Regis, shutting the passenger door. “Ignis is a cautious driver. I daresay he might be too cautious. I thought you said he had a tendency to speed when he was comfortable, but I guess I made him too nervous.”

“Come now, your Majesty. You know he’s never driven the king around before. That’s a big responsibility for a teenager, especially with the prince along for the ride, too.”

“I suppose it is.” Regis gestured Ignis over. “Mind if we talk, Ignis?”

As soon as Ignis approached him, Regis wrapped one arm around his shoulders and pulled him in closer. He patted his shoulder in a paternal way.

“Someday, you’ll drive the Regalia.”

Ignis didn’t know what to say to that. The Regalia held a special place in Noctis’ heart, and that automatically made the car important to Ignis. He could never imagine being trustworthy enough to be behind the wheel of his Majesty’s beloved classic. 

“I know I made you nervous, but I think you did well. You’ll get your license soon enough, won’t you?”

Ignis nodded. “Yes, your Majesty.”

“May the Six be with you, you’ll be making Insomnia Burger runs for the rest of your life,” he whispered playfully into Ignis’ ear.

Ignis let out a short laugh. “I think I can handle it.”

“If you like fries, yes. And I was serious about the Regalia. I’ll be too old to drive her someday.” Regis released him, clapping him on the back hard enough to knock him off his feet. “Cor!” He tossed a set of keys at the marshal before he trotted up the steps to the Citadel, leaving two baffled teenagers in his wake.


	3. A Daring Outing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also for Ignis Fluff week! Day 2: "Stealing the Regalia"
> 
> Ignis is 16, Noctis barely 15

“Come on, he’ll never know.”

Noctis stared up at Ignis with pleading eyes, eyes that Ignis swore he had an immunity to after all those years of getting into mischief together. And yet…

“How far will we take her?”

Noctis pulled out his phone, and after a few swipes and clicks, held it up to show Ignis. It wasn’t too far—just on the other side of the physical wall around Insomnia. A stretch of beach that would give them some privacy, since it was owned by the Caelum family. 

“How will we smuggle the Regalia past the guards?” asked Ignis. Every exit and entrance had a gateway, and they always checked identification. Not to mention they all would recognize their king’s beloved car.

Noctis grinned. “I have a way.”

“What way?”

“You’ll find out.”

Noctis dangled the keys in front of Ignis, as if attempting to lure him into another of his wild adventures. Noctis seldom ever did anything that risked disappointing his father, but the glint in his eyes suggested this was a worthy exception to his usual good behavior. And how could Ignis refuse him? 

“I’m trusting you,” said Ignis, snatching the keys out of Noctis’ hand.

“You have to follow my instructions, Specs!”

Ignis followed Noctis to the parking garage. This would require them both to remain calm and collected, Ignis had a lot of experience in that department. Nothing could be more nerve-wracking than taking driving lessons with King Regis, which had happened multiple times in the previous year. A trip to the ocean would prove good for their health, too. 

They _were_ teenagers, best to act the part while they still had time to get away with it.

Ignis didn’t bother to ask Noctis how he acquired the keys to the Regalia, but there were only two. Cor had one, and Regis had the other, and this was definitely the marshal’s keychain due to its bare simplicity. 

Ignis slid into the driver’s seat. Behind the wheel of the Regalia. A first time, for his short life—and it _would_ be short, when the king finished with them.

Noctis buckled up before digging around in his pockets. He withdrew a slip of laminated paper, complete with…

“Is that the King’s forged signature?!”

Noctis widened his eyes. “What? No! I took this from Cor. It’s a permission slip to let him use the Regalia, and my dad signed it!”

“You stole it.”

“Ages ago. He probably figured out it was missing, but I figured the guards would be on high alert if we tried to leave then. Now we know it’s fine.” Noctis reached over and tucked it into the front pocket of Ignis’ shirt. “Just play it cool. We don’t want them to catch us, at least not until afterward.”

Ignis steadied his breath and turned the key. The Regalia’s engine purred, and despite all his reservations, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of pleasure at being behind her wheel. He remembered when Regis had told him only about a year ago that he would someday drive the Regalia. Ignis hadn’t believed him, and he had a feeling this was not what Regis had meant.

What was the punishment for stealing the king’s car? 

“You’ve been plotting this a while, haven’t you?”

Noctis shrugged and stretched out his arms as much as the roof of the car would allow. 

“Very well, I hope this works.”

“It will!”

Ignis didn’t think they would fool the guards with an expired card. Noctis had used a permanent marker to subtly change the numbered date, so that they were in July rather than January—one line that turned a one into a seven. Six months, Noctis waited to use this card. This still counted as a forgery, even if it wasn’t Regis’ signature being lied about. 

The guard who took the pass took one glance at it. If he had examined it any closer… 

Well, best not to think of that. 

Ignis sped a little too fast once they were a few feet out of the Citadel gates. The Regalia rolled across the pavement much smoother than the cantankerous vehicle Cor used to teach Ignis to drive. Ignis had yet to purchase his own car. Sometimes his uncle lent him his car, but it lacked all the style and flare of the Regalia.

A spark of rebelliousness and the joy of driving, combined with being in the king’s customized classic, all made Ignis tipsy. As soon as they were on the highway headed out of the city, he took down the top. The wind wrecked his styled hair. Noctis let out a joyous yell that carried away on the road behind them.

They used the pass and identification cards to get through the city gates. The guard there didn’t look closely enough at the pass and shrugged as he let them go. They took the winding road to the beach, enjoying the breeze and the scenery as it rushed past them on either side of the road.

Ignis slowed the car as they came closer to the gates. The property had a shield of chain link, topped with three lines of electric fencing and, above that, rolled barbed wire. Signs were posted warning trespassers not to enter or risk punishment. Noctis would guarantee they wouldn’t be heavily fined or arrested—at least not for breaking and entering. 

“Do you have the keys to the property?” asked Ignis.

Noctis took out another set and dangled them, a devilish glint in his eyes. He hopped out of the car and set to work on the locks. The chain snaked away, coiling to the ground. Noctis left it there, and Ignis passed over it with the Regalia, taking care not to hit it with the wheels. Behind him, Noctis closed up the gates again and returned the lock and chain.

“Ready to go?” Noctis hopped over the passenger side door and kicked his feet up on the dash. “You can speed if you like. No one’s here.”

“If I crash your father’s car…” He would never do that to the Regalia. He took the road down to the water, parking in the lot along the seaside. 

All the noise of the city—all the loud honking of traffic and sound of trucks on the highways—disappeared in the roar of the water and sound of gulls. Ignis sat beside Noctis on the wooden railings around the lot and began taking off his shoes and rolling up the legs of his slacks. He stuffed his socks in his shoes and left them sitting in the backseat of the Regalia.

“Come on!” Noctis snagged his hand and rushed him down the steps to the sand. 

Ignis laughed as his toes squelched through the wet beach and the foamy waves rolled up to his ankles before sliding back into the ocean. They picked shells up and inspected them, trying to find only the most perfect ones. 

“How about this one?” asked Noctis, holding up a spiraling shell exploding with oranges and reds. “It’s like fire!”

“Hmm, like me.” Ignis skimmed his eyes over the areas nearby. “I suppose I should find a black one that looks like you.”

“That’s so cheesy, Specs.” Even as Noctis rolled his eyes, something in his tone voiced approval. 

It took forever to find a black shell, a flat scallop shell, no bigger than the tip of Ignis’ thumb.

“Perfect,” hummed Ignis, holding it on display for Noctis.

Noctis rolled his eyes again, but midway through pretending to shun Ignis, he switched course and pulled Ignis closer by the collar of his shirt. Their lips met, a clumsy kiss between two teenagers that seemed like it lasted for a few seconds but truly only lasted for a fleeting moment. 

Ignis stared wide-eyed at Noctis.

“Best day ever,” whispered Noctis.

“Until we discover we’re not too old to be grounded to our rooms.”

“Worth it.”

“Yes, absolutely worth it.”


End file.
